Dividend comparison

VT vs VUG: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Vanguard Total World Stock ETF and Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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VT vs VUG: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. VUG is cheaper at 0.03% a year versus 0.06% for VT. On $10,000 that is $3 a year less in fees.
  • Income. VT pays more income, yielding 1.53% over the last twelve months versus 0.39% for VUG. That is about $114 more a year on $10,000. VT pays annual, VUG pays quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, VUG returned 78.4% versus 60.7% for VT, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $17,845 in VUG and $16,069 in VT.
  • Risk. VUG has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -35.6%, against -26.4% for VT.
  • Diversification. VT holds 9,773 positions and VUG holds 166. The ten largest positions make up 22.3% of VT and 63.1% of VUG.
  • Overlap. At least 28% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 33 shared holdings.
  • Dividend growth. VT grew its yearly payout 7.1% a year over the last 4 years, versus 6.9% for VUG.
  • Size. VUG is the larger fund with $392.2 billion in assets, against $101.2 billion for VT.

Bottom line: VT fits better if you care most about more income today, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. VUG fits better if you care most about lower fees and stronger 5-year returns.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricVT
Vanguard Total World Stock ETF
VUG
Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)1.53%0.39%
Dividend / share (TTM)$2.41$0.35
Payout frequencyAnnualQuarterly
Last dividend$0.4084 on Sep 22, 2026$0.0910 on Sep 30, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 18, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)7.1% over 4 yrs6.9% over 4 yrs
Price$157.80$88.67
Dividend growth streak—3 years
Beta0.931.27
Max drawdown (5Y)-26.4%-35.6%
Market cap$101.30B$392.24B
ExchangeAMEXAMEX
Expense ratio0.06%0.03%
Assets under management$101.20B$392.20B
Number of holdings9773166
Top 10 concentration22.3%63.1%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

VT

$12.75/mo

$153 /yr at 1.53% yield

VUG

$3.25/mo

$39 /yr at 0.39% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. VT pays annual; VUG pays quarterly.
YearVTVUG
2025$2.5732$0.3351
2024$2.2939$0.3188
2023$2.1419$0.3003
2022$1.8957$0.2499
2021$1.9550$0.2567
Strategy: Broad index
Low-cost funds that hold an entire market or index at market-cap weights and make no attempt to select securities. Return is the index return less a small fee, and dividends are a by-product of what the underlying companies choose to pay rather than an objective of the strategy. Differences between funds tracking the same index usually come down to fee, wrapper structure, share price and trading liquidity, not to holdings.

Current income is low and outside your control, so these need pairing with something else if the portfolio has to produce cash today.

What VT vs VUG actually do

VT
One fund holding the whole global stock market, around ten thousand companies across developed and emerging markets including the US.

It tracks the FTSE Global All Cap Index at market-cap weights, so US companies make up the majority of the fund simply because they are the majority of world market value, with the remainder spread across developed international and emerging markets. Weights shift as those markets grow or shrink relative to each other, so the allocation decision is made by the market rather than by you. Holding non-US companies brings currency exposure and foreign withholding tax, and the headline yield is usually a little higher than a US-only fund because many international companies pay out more of their earnings.

Suits an investor who wants a single, permanently self-rebalancing global equity holding and no home-country judgment call. Not for someone who wants to control their US weighting deliberately, and not an income fund.

Core holding, global

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 20, 2021 would now be worth $16,069 in VT and $17,845 in VUG.
PeriodVTVUG
1 month-0.47%0.01%
3 months1.95%4.01%
Year to date11.87%9.40%
1 year13.16%10.23%
3 years80.78%99.93%
5 years60.69%78.45%
  • VT
  • VUG
61127193202120222023202420252026161178

Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-10-20 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Sector allocation
Weight of each sector within the fund. Sectors are aligned on the same row so the two funds can be read against each other directly.
  • VT
  • VUG
0%15%30%45%60%Technology31.9%60.2%Communication Services7.2%14.7%Financial Services15.6%3.9%Consumer Cyclical8.1%9.8%Industrials10.5%4.4%Healthcare8.5%4.2%Consumer Defensive4.3%1.3%Basic Materials4.1%0.4%Energy3.9%0.3%Utilities2.2%0.8%Other3.7%0.9%
VT vs VUG holdings overlap
At least 28% overlap by weight, with 33 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.
Largest shared holdingsVT weightVUG weight
NVDANVIDIA Corp4.52%13.48%
AAPLApple Inc4.08%12.50%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp3.23%9.74%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc2.05%4.26%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc1.72%5.16%
AVGOBroadcom Inc1.39%4.34%
METAMeta Platforms Inc1.35%4.23%
GOOGAlphabet Inc1.35%4.09%
TSLATesla Inc0.88%2.65%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc0.84%2.66%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

VT9773 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp4.52%
AAPLApple Inc4.08%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp3.23%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc2.05%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc1.72%
2330.TWTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd1.62%
AVGOBroadcom Inc1.39%
METAMeta Platforms Inc1.35%
GOOGAlphabet Inc1.35%
MUMicron Technology Inc1.02%

VUG166 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp13.48%
AAPLApple Inc12.50%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp9.74%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc5.16%
AVGOBroadcom Inc4.34%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc4.26%
METAMeta Platforms Inc4.23%
GOOGAlphabet Inc4.09%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc2.66%
TSLATesla Inc2.65%

Quick verdict

VT fits better if you care most about more income today, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. VUG fits better if you care most about lower fees and stronger 5-year returns. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

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Frequently asked questions

Is VT or VUG better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VT currently yields 1.53% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while VUG yields 0.39%. Higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, but may come with different risk, growth, or NAV characteristics. Compare total return and payout sustainability — not just the headline yield.
What is the difference between VT and VUG?
Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF (VUG) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, VT or VUG?
VUG has the lower expense ratio. VT charges 0.06% a year and VUG charges 0.03%, a difference of $3 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, VT or VUG?
Over the last 5 years, VUG has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: VT returned 60.7% and VUG returned 78.4%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, VT or VUG?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, VUG has been riskier: VT fell as much as 26.4% and VUG as much as 35.6%. Their betas are 0.93 and 1.27.
How much do VT and VUG overlap?
At least 28% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 33 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are NVDA, AAPL, MSFT. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do VT and VUG pay dividends?
VT pays annual and VUG pays quarterly.
How much income does $10,000 in VT vs VUG generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in VT would generate roughly $12.75 per month ($153 annually). The same amount in VUG would produce about $3.25 per month ($39 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both VT and VUG?
Yes. Many income investors hold both to diversify strategy or index exposure. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on overlapping holdings and factor exposure. Model both inside Dividend Wealth to see combined income, sector mix, and forecast impact.
Where can I compare VT vs VUG with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how VT and VUG fit alongside the rest of your portfolio. A 14-day free trial of Standard is available with no credit card required; a limited Free plan is also available.

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For informational and educational purposes only. Not investment advice. Past performance and current yields do not guarantee future results. Verify figures independently before making investment decisions.